RESIDENTS in Haslemere and Waverley western villages who have missed out so far on the Superfast Surrey broadband rollout are being urged to take part in a vital public consultation that closes later this month.

County councillor David Harmer is urging residents, who are getting speeds of less than 15Mb, to take part in the consultation before May 24.

He said: “There are 650 properties in my division which have not benefited, which is quite a lot of people,”

“Broadband Delivery UK has agreed with the EU for a second extension of the rollout which will allow Surrey County Council to connect more people.

“Superfast Surrey is now conducting a state aid public consultation to find out who has got left out either due to some quirk in the cabling, or who have been told they can’t have it, or who get broadband at less than 15Mb.

“Some people are connected to cabinets so far away they have no chance of getting superfast broadband.

“The residents of Warren Park near Thursley on the A3 are connected to a cabinet on the far side of Milford due to a connection that dates back to Edwardian times. But they could connect to Thursley, which is much closer.

“There are now all sorts of changes to the way cables can go and some of the cables in my division are more than 100 years old. They may work brilliantly for voice, but are hopeless for data and I want to make sure Surrey knows about everyone here who is missing out.

“Hopefully, an announcement about the sequence of the second extension can be agreed and the connection dates announced soon. There is light at the end of the tunnel.”

The document includes a map and checklist of all Surrey postcodes. If you don’t get 15Mb even in one of the postcodes listed, you should respond to be on the safe side. Homes not getting 15Mb and not on the list must respond to ensure they are upgraded.